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1.5: What is Freewriting?

  • Page ID
    4924
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    Freewriting helps generate ideas and set them in motion. To begin, start writing without worrying about spelling or grammatical errors. You should write your ideas naturally and spontaneously so that you can record many ideas quickly. Do not look back at what you wrote until you are satisfied that you have written enough. An easy way to freewrite is to set a time limit and then begin writing. You can write anything at all, and in the end, you will often find some quality ideas scattered throughout your writing.

    Example

    1. I set my kitchen timer for a specific amount of time. Let’s say 5 minutes.
    2. I just begin writing without worrying about what I am putting onto the page.

      Things I like to do. Watching TV is a great way to unwind after a long day. Playing video games is too. I like talking to my friend Steph on the phone, but I get annoyed when she doesn’t call me back. I like shopping. My favorite store is Target. They have everything that you need there. I can buy clothing, luggage, things I need for my kitchen, wall coverings. I love that store. I like going to the theater. Last year, I saw The West Side Story. It was amazing. For some reason, I always look forward to fall and spring yard work. I don’t know if it is the sense of accomplishment I feel when the yard is ready for the season or what, but I really do enjoy it. There are so many things that need to be done each year too. In the spring, you need to be sure to fertilize before…
    3. The timer goes off, so I stop writing.
    4. At this point, I review what I have written and decide which point(s) to elaborate on.

    With these simple writing tips, you should be able to find a topic and begin the process of writing the assigned paper. Established authors use brainstorming, clustering, and freewriting, so you’re in good company when you use these techniques to help you overcome writer’s block or writing anxiety. After all, your indecision is only a question, and to quote the popular college text Writing Analytically, “learning to write is largely a matter of learning how to frame questions.” If none of these work for you, try to come up with your own strategy. What works for someone else may not work for you. After all, these prewriting strategies are just ways to put your ideas on the paper so you can develop them at a later time. Try to enjoy the process of writing instead of seeing writing only as the chore of finishing an assignment your instructor has given you. Done this way, writing might become a pleasure that can also improve your critical thinking ability.


    1.5: What is Freewriting? is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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